Harbour Bridge, Skeldon Energy Inc get new Boards

…GGMC, GFC Boards also appointed

The Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation (DHBC) and Skeldon Energy Incorporated were among the State enterprises to get, in some cases, new Chairmen and Directors following the granting of Cabinet approval.
According to the gazetted order, DHBC will be headed by Ravie Ramcharitar, while former parliamentarian Odinga Lumumba will be the Vice Chairman. Additionally, the Board of Directors will comprise Joseph Holder, Jaishree Lam, Raphael Gonsalves, Yurlander Hughes, a representative of the union and the DHBC General Manager as an ex-officio member.
Among the things the DHBC has oversight for is the $650 million Eco 2000 Batch Mix Asphalt Plant, which was supposed to have been activated under the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government but which had to be delayed to 2021.
Meanwhile, the Skeldon Energy Incorporated Board has been returned unchanged, with Dr Grayson Halley heading the entity as Chairman and Attorney-at-Law Adrian Anamayah as Vice Chairman.
Also on the Board are Wayne Watson, Loris Nathoo, Zamal Hussain, Errol Assar and former Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GTT) Company National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) Chief Exrcutive Officer Radha Krishna Sharma.
A number of entities that focus on the natural resources sector also had new Boards appointed. These include the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), the regulatory body for all things mining related.
According to a notice, former GGMC Manager Jimmy Reece will be returning as Chairman of the agency. He was first appointed to that role last year, making a return to the agency after being ousted back in 2015.
Also on the GGMC Board is former Deputy Solicitor General Pritima Kissoon. The Board also includes GGMC Commissioner Newell Dennison; former Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Retired Major General Norman McLean; Kristen Chand Singh; Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) representatives Azeena Baksh and Dabria Marcus.
Also on the Board are Guyana Women Miners Association (GWMA) representative Urica Primus, Ministry of Labour representative and Permanent Secretary Bishram Kuppen, Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) representative Rawle Lewis, Guyana Gold Board representative Eondrene Thompson, Workers’ representative Vickram Manoo, Evan Persaud and Azad Abrahim.
The Board is also expected to include in its membership representatives from the National Toshaos Council (NTC), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF), as well as GGMC’s Legal Advisor, as ex-officio members.
When it comes to the Guyana Gold Board (GGB), Bank of Guyana Chairman Dr Gobind Ganga will also chair the GGB. The members include Dennison, Sharon Roopchand-Edwards, GGDMA representative Andron Alphonso, Ministry of Natural Resources representative Visal Satram, Fazal Khan, Stephen Belle and Eondrene Thompson as an ex-officio member.
A Board was also appointed for the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), which will be chaired by Sandrina Benn. Also appointed as members were Andrew Bishop, Nazim Hussain, Zamal Hussain, Yvonne Fredericks Pearson, GGMC representative Jacques Foster, Attorney-at-Law Rajendra Jaigobin and representatives of the Ministries of Agriculture and Amerindian Affairs, as well as the Forest Producers Association and the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU).
GFC has been caught in a financial whirlwind for the past few years. At the end of 2014, the GFC had a surplus of some $211 million. By 2019, however, this had plummeted to a surplus of $2.3 million. The depleted state of the GFC was coupled with the reduction in exports, from US$53 million in 2014 to US$34 million in 2019.
The GFC also found itself in a position, soon after the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) took office, whereby it was unable to pay staff. In addition, GFC was unable to fund critical operational costs for several months, while workers were not paid their 2018 bonus up to this year.
Soon after taking office, the President Dr Irfaan Ali-led Government was forced to disburse $350 million to support the GFC, thus enabling the agency to turn around its fortunes.